In December, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the 2024 American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention, one of the largest professional development events for speech-language pathologists. It’s a place where thousands of professionals come together to share cutting-edge research, and let me tell you—the things I learned about gender-affirming voice care absolutely blew my mind.

In today’s blog post, I’m sharing the top three most fascinating takeaways from the convention, but if you want to dive deeper into these ideas, be sure to check out the video below!

What’s the Difference Between Gender-Affirming Voice Teaching and Speech-Language Pathology?

At first glance, it might seem like gender-affirming voice teaching and speech-language pathology are interchangeable, but they’re actually two distinct disciplines that complement one another beautifully. Here’s a quick breakdown of how they differ and where they overlap:

• Speech-language pathology (SLP) is a healthcare profession focused on diagnosing and treating a wide variety of voice, speech, and communication-related conditions. This can include voice disorders, upper airway issues, alternative communication systems, and so much more. SLPs are licensed healthcare providers and often work with patients in clinical settings.
• Gender-affirming voice teaching, on the other hand, falls under voice pedagogy. As a voice teacher, I work with students on developing skills to use their voice in ways that align with their identity, whether that’s for speaking, singing, acting, or public speaking. My focus isn’t on diagnosing or treating medical conditions; it’s on coaching and guiding people through voice exercises, techniques, and practice strategies.

Where these two disciplines overlap is in gender-affirming voice care: a specialized area where SLPs and voice teachers work to help trans and nonbinary individuals explore and shape their voices in ways that feel authentic to them.

At ASHA 2024, I had the honor of speaking on a panel of gender-affirming voice care providers who are themselves transgender. It was so refreshing to see both SLPs and voice teachers collaborating and sharing ideas to support the trans community. Shoutout to my amazing co-panelists Ruchi Kapila (they/them), Jae Bernado (they/she), Jennifer Cleary (xie/hir/she/her), Becks von Duering (they/them), and Clare Henderson (she/they).

My Top 3 Takeaways From ASHA 2024

The ASHA convention was jam-packed with presentations, workshops, and panels, but these three takeaways really stood out to me as groundbreaking:

1. Cognitive Load Training is Game-Changing

One of the most fascinating talks I attended was titled Get a Load of This!: Promoting Self-Efficacy in Gender-Affirming Voice Through Cognitive Load Training by Clare Henderson (she/they) and Becks von Duering (they/them).

The focus of this presentation was on using neuroscience to improve how we learn and retain voice training techniques.

You see, while voice training is often thought of as a muscular exercise (because we’re training the vocal folds), it’s also a huge workout for your brain. Skills like attention, memory, motor learning, sensation, and perception all come into play when we train our voices.

Without integrating these cognitive processes into your practice, you might struggle to apply your new voice skills in everyday life. That’s why I created a free resource called Practice Games for Endurance in Trans Voice Work. It’s filled with exercises that combine voice practice with problem-solving, memory challenges, and more to simulate real-life situations in a low-pressure way.

Want to try it for yourself? You can grab it for free by right here.

2. Everyone’s Trans Voice Pathway is Unique

Another highlight for me was attending the panel Essential Topics in Gender-Affirming Voice Care 2.0, presented by Desi Gutierrez (they/them). This session featured a mix of speech-language pathologists, a laryngologist, and a voice surgeon who talked about the wide variety of treatment pathways available for trans voice care.

For example, some people may only need hormone therapy to achieve their desired voice, while others may need voice lessons, therapy, surgery, or a combination of all of the above.

What really stood out to me was a question from the audience: “How do you know when a patient is ready for discharge?” The panel’s answer? It depends! Some patients need as few as three sessions, while others may need 35 or more.

The takeaway here is that everyone’s journey is different. Some people achieve their goals in a few months, while others take years—and that’s okay!

In my work as a gender-affirming voice teacher, I tell my students that they’re generally “ready” when they can:

1. Use voice training techniques on their own without prompting.
2. Feel some degree of satisfaction with the results (not perfection, just progress).
3. Monitor their voice, recognize when something feels off, and troubleshoot issues independently.

If you’re not there yet, don’t worry—this is why I offer lessons and courses, which you can learn more about right here.

3. Intracordal Testosterone Injections Are a Thing Now?!

Okay, this last takeaway isn’t practical for most people yet, but it’s so cool that I have to share.

During the conference, Andi Docktor (she/her) presented research showing that targeted injections of testosterone directly into the vocal folds can masculinize the voice without the systemic side effects of traditional hormone therapy.

Yes, you read that right—they’re injecting T directly into the vocal folds!

This method led to faster voice changes than traditional testosterone therapy and helped participants avoid side effects like acne or hair loss. While the study only followed eight subjects and more research is needed, the possibilities are super exciting.

It makes me wonder: What other cutting-edge technologies could be on the horizon for transition-related care? Let me know your thoughts in the comments on YouTube!

Wrapping Up

2024 was a big year of firsts for me. It was my first time attending and speaking at ASHA, and I also had the honour of presenting at the Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference. Looking ahead to 2025, I’m excited to continue speaking and sharing knowledge at events like Moving Trans Histories Forward in March.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned from these experiences is just how many incredible people—trans folks and allies alike—are working to create a world where trans healthcare is accessible, affirming, and transformative.

If you’re feeling inspired by this post, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list to get exclusive resources and updates on how to transform your voice and reach your goals.

And, of course, don’t forget to check out the full video embedded above for even more insights and details.

Thanks for reading, and as always, I hope this helps!

— Renée 🦋